Cursed
by FireIceandPoison
Summary: Raylina has dissapeared and the residants of La Push are left in a state of despair. Not only that but a rogue has appeared along side of the Vampire who may have been the death of precious Red. What will the wolves do? What does Billy and the Elders know, and what are they keeping from the protectors? Second in the series. Read Forbidden first!
1. Chapter 1: Human

"_Against my better judgment, I was still human."_

"_**Cursed"**_

"_Hey Red! I haven't seen you at my place in a while… or in any place for that matter. Is something wrong? Please call me. Love ya!" _

Kim.

"_Where the hell have you been Red! Kim's in hysterics, please answer the phone or we'll have to bombard your house!"_

Leah.

"_Hey sis, I'm not sure when you'll get to hear these but please, if you're there, pick up."_

Jake.

"_Red, you're scaring me. Where are you?! Leah and I came by the house. It's deserted. It looks like you haven't been there in weeks. If that's the case then this phone call is pointless, but I need you. Please."_

Kim once more.

"_Baby girl, please."_

Paul.

"_Raylina, we need to talk. You can't run from this."_

Billy.

Paul raked a pair of unsteady and very shaky hands through his dark hair. He leaned forward, pressing his feverish forehead against the cool hard wood of the table. Jake brought no comfort to the aching man, as he himself was caught in a predicament of his own. Weeks before Bella had run off with one of the leeches to save a suicidal bloodsucker. Edward. And now, not only has been Victoria been sighted more frequently, but Bella is back to being held over heels for the leech. So not only is Paul feeling the loss of a mate, but Jacob is as well.

But Paul was not sure who felt worse at this point. Paul's whole being felt like it was being ripped apart, piece by piece, atom by atom, molecule by molecule.

His very soul was shattered, his very essence undone. There was a gaping hole where his heart should be, growing and expanding through every fiber of his being until, at some point, he will disappear in a swirling vortex of pain, agony, and loss.

His limbs were heavy, and he felt no need to move. Infact he would not mind if he fell asleep and never awoke. Because then he would be able to see her face again, feel her skin, soft and fragile, beneath his fingertips, hear her breath and sing and speak. She would be living, warm with a heartbeat, and in his arms.

Now he had no idea if she was alive or dead.

H couldn't smell her lovely strawberry and cream scent.

He could no longer feel her essence, her pulse.

She had disappeared. And even his wolf could not find her. There was no tug, no pull. Nothing. Nothing but a void.

And it tore Paul apart.

"What does my father know?" Jake murmured almost silently, replaying Billy's message repeatedly.

"_Raylina, we need to talk. You can't run from this."_

Rewind.

Repeat.

Crescent moons began to appear along Paul's tan palm, and he cast his eyes away from the droplets of blood that began to well up from them.

"Better yet, what do you know?" Paul asked absentmindedly. Though he hadn't realized the words that had spawned from his mouth until Jake's hand grasped his throat tightly, the air escaping his parted lips.

Yet Paul made no move against his pack mate, to stop the air that was quickly leaving his body, and the new numbness that was familiarizing its way through his joints.

"Don't you dare accuse me in her disappearance Lahote. I know nothing of why my father was calling, and she hasn't been at my home." Jake paused, his eyes ablaze with anger. And remorse, Paul detected a hint of that. "You're not the only one suffering. You're not the only one who loved her."

Something snapped within Paul as he sat there, taking the brutality of Jake's anger and he roared, twisting Jake's arm away and slamming him against the wall in a matter of seconds. A crack appeared behind Jake's head. Their faces were close, breaths mingled and anger over flowed.

"She's not dead!" Paul bellowed, and immediately the anger fled from Jake's deeply colored eyes. He knew his mistake. He talked about their Raylina as if she was gone, but in truth, they had no idea where she had disappeared to. Even though it's been weeks, and there is nothing.

It was as if she never existed to begin with.

He saw this and Paul's arm slipped away from Jake's throat, neither of them noticing that it had been there to begin with. Paul's legs could no longer support him and he slid down the wall, to catch himself. Jake sighed.

"I'm sorry man, I didn't mean it like that."

"I know," was the barely audible response.

There was a slam of an opening door and Jake's head snapped up at an alarming rate. But Paul didn't bother to lift his head. He knew, just by the way the door opened, that it was his precious Raylina. And he was right. Instead, by the counter stood their Alpha.

"We caught its scent again."

"Which one," Paul muttered numbly, feeling his rage begin again. "The bloodsucker or the rogue?"

"The rogue." Sam answered grimly, and Paul's dark eyes flickered upwards. His canines lengthened of their own accord; his wolf showing its first sign of life in days. His eyes flashed with a familiar anger and Jake stood back as Paul stood. His wolf was barely contained in his human skin, his teeth longed to taste the blood of the rogue wolf upon his tongue. Sam turned his body and just as Paul moved to pass his arm snaked out.

Paul snarled, despite who's hand was holding him back. "Don't kill him, I want to know why he's not part of the pack."

Paul's wolf growled a threatening growl; one that reverberated through their minds with such force it astonished Sam. They weren't supposed to be able to contact each other in their human forms.

"I won't be able to help it if my jaw locks around his neck," Paul hissed, doing all he could to control his breathing.

His grip tightened on Paul's shoulder. "That's an order Lahote. Do not disobey me."

Blood began to dribble down Paul's chin as his canines pierced his lower lip.

"No promises," and Sam allowed his own hand to fall. Paul began to storm away and Sam looked on with such sadness. He knew Paul's wolf was too far gone to obey orders. And Paul knew it too.

So just as Paul stepped through the threshold his wolf erupted from human bonds; the remains scattering and dissipating within the wind. Paul's clothes lay in tatters upon the ground and he looked upon his brothers and sister with such contempt and anger, it frightened most of them.

Sam's bulking form emerged from the cramped kitchen and pushed through the threshold. Paul didn't bother to whimper as some of his own ribs cracked, being squished between his Alpha and the door. He didn't care. He welcomed the pain.

"_Do not kill the rogue. Injure hum, strip of his pride, but I forbid you to kill him."_

Sam's massive, deep voice echoed through their minds and Leah snarled.

"_If that bastard helped the leech kill Raylina, I will refuse your orders." _Leah threatened, backing up on her haunches to leap before the rest of the pack.

"_One way or another, he will die."_

To Paul's utter surprise and delight his brothers agreed.

Sam bared his teeth. _"Refuse me and you will all suffer the consequences. Do not KILL THE ROGUE!" _

But his followers were already gone, disappearing among the trees.


	2. Chapter 2: Flash Of White

_"What the hell is this?" I cried to him, feeling as if my bones were being ripped out of my body. There was this ache within my limbs, begging to be released. It needed to be free, this dark entity within me._

_"It's your gift." He answered quietly, his fists clenching at his sides. " Accept it, or you will die."_

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><p>Sometimes, when you listen to the sounds of the forest, you can hear life. You can hear the wind blowing and the leaves rustling with it. If one were to listen hard enough, one could hear the flowers growing, the first breath of a newborn bird, the crawling of the pill bugs across the moss. You can hear the crickets chirping their bliss. The birds singing their song, and little animals living their lives in a seemingly pristine world.<p>

Tonight, on the other hand, one could hear the promise of a sickening, gruesome death.

The world was silent, the birds dare not sing, the crickets dare not chirp, the wind was silent, and nothing moved.

The only beings that were allowed to show their life were the wolves of La Push. Their paws digging into the soft dirt of their ancestors like the beating of a war drum. Their snarls reverberated through the trees, and their hates were filled with anger and hate. Especially Paul, who, for the first time, fought faster than any of the others, whose misery and anger pushed him, despite the cries of his burning legs and spine. Despite the burning bile rising in his throat he pressed forward.

Paul was so close to the rogue wolf that he could practically taste his flesh. Paul wanted to. He wanted to sink his elongated teeth into the soft, white flesh of the wolf. He wanted to know what wolf blood tasted like. Was it as coppery as humans, or that sickening sweet taste like a bloodsuckers, would it taste like betrayal? Would he taste Raylina's flesh within the wolf's very bones?

Paul snarled in uncontrollable anger and tossed his muscled, furred body around the hill bend, a flash of white entering his peripheral vision.

_"Kill,"_ his heart murmured and he felt saliva drip from his chin, wetting the soft fur on his flesh beneath his jaw. Tonight, he truly felt like an animal.

_"Obey Orders,"_ a voice seemed to whisper from the deepest corners of his human mind. And he felt a pang in his chest. He never killed anything but vampires and the occasional deer.

"**No!"** It roared within his mind. He had to kill this creature. It helped the bloodsucker kill Raylina, and he would damn well sure his love would get her justice before he joined her in the grave. Paul snarled, all his anger pushing his body past the pack and towards his goal.

_"How can he be this fast?"_ Embry hissed through clenched teeth. "The rogue isn't even part of the pack and he has the speed of an army." Paul didn't want to, but he agreed. The rogue wolf was different from them. Not only could the pack not hear his thoughts, but he was faster and stronger than any of them could or ever will be. It was frightening to know something this strong could exist in their culture. They had no doubt that the rogue was a Quilete, but what descendant could he be? The elders kept tabs upon the children who could possibly carry the gene, and they were all accounted for. So who was this rogue? And why wasn't he like the rest?

_"I don't know,"_ Jared replied. _"But he took Kim's first friend, that bastard better be lucky he can run, 'cause I'll kill him."_

_"Run bitch run,"_ Leah agreed and Paul could feel the way Leah's body was being pushed to the max. Leah had been ill since Raylina's dissapearence, and mostly refused to come out of the house unless to chase the leech and the rogue. Though it was still a surprise that she could even come out anymore.

_"He's heading for the cliffs!"_ Quil hollered, slightly rejoicing. The rogue has nowhere to run. Paul mentally smirked and lept over a fallen, moss covered tree.

And he was right.

The rogue wolf, who belonged to no clan, stood at the very top of the cliffs. Paul couldn't help but feel a pang, as a sudden image of Raylina flashed over his eyes, making his come to a sudden halt in surprised pain. His beautiful Raylina stood before him. As if she were alive, she smiled at him, her black tank top billowing around her as the wind blew. Paul was mesmerized by the contours of her body, the way her leggings clung to her skin and showed every blessed curve, her old necklace clinging to her neck as if it were its lifeline, her hair spilling out and curling in the wind as if the air itself wanted to dance with her. Her bright blue eyes were lit with amusement and a slight bit of nervousness and maybe even fear.

_"Snap out of it Paul!"_ His Alpha commanded; Sam's voice reverberating through every corner of his dark and lonely mind. Every bone in his body bent to the will of his leader, and Paul whimpered as the vision on Raylina vanished. This left him as cold and bereft as he was before. Maybe even colder. It was as if all the warmth in the world disappeared along with her. He snarled when the vision dissipated completely, leaving him wide view of the rogue wolf that had destroyed his life. He was backed up against the very edge of the cliff. Paul's ears perked up as some stray rocks fell into the raging ocean far below.

But something about the rogue…. soothed Paul. As if, the rogue wasn't truly…evil. But that's preposterous. He killed Raylina.

But still Paul couldn't help but study the seemingly frightened thing. His fur was odd, and nothing that Paul had ever seen in a Quilete wolf. It was shaggy, which wasn't a big deal, but it the fact that his fur wasn't brown, or grey, or black, or any color of the resemblance. As a matter of fact, the fur wasn't even a color. In all technicalities atleast. His fur was as white and pale as the moon, which has never been seen before. To further Paul's astonishment, the rogue wolf from the angle that Paul stood, was much greater in size and mass than that of Sam and Jacob. And even more so that, upon the wolf's hipbone was a purple crescent moon.

_"What is he?"_ Leah whispered. _"What kind of wolf could he be?"_

The rogue's head snapped over to Leah; his eyes widening before he let out a strangled whimper, pawing at the ground towards her.

Leah growled.

And to Paul's surprise the rogue looked over at him, his cries becoming more persistent as he stepped forward.

Paul bent forward, itching to leap.

The wolf howled, and stumbled back as if wounded. His silvery blue eyes widening, and to Paul's surprise dampening.

_"What the-"_ Leah began, confusion settling through her. But Paul didn't bother to think on it, he lept forward, determined to destroy the monster who eliminated all life within Paul's world. The rogue wolf saw this however, and before Paul could snap his neck, he jumped.

Over the cliff.

Paul's paws slid across the dirt and to a stop mere seconds before he himself could tumble over and he watched with sick pleasure as the rogue spun through the air, unsure of how to survive the fall, before slamming with a sickening splash into the dark ocean.

But disgust rolled through him when he saw the white form pulsing through the ocean waves, and towards the far shore.

_"He just won't fucking die,"_ Paul snarled, and many of his pack mates flinched at the bitterness within his voice. His brown eyes watched in shamed torture as the beast walked onto the sandy shore and shook out his coat.

The Rogue wolf turned to face the group upon the cliff, and to the astonishment of the pack, he howled.

He howled a song of despair and sorrow, of loss and heartache. The song delved then rose before diving into a low pitch once more, and to Paul's horror, his own heart beat in the sorrowful sync. The Rogue silenced his cries and turned to run off down the beach.

_"I hate him."_ Jared said after a period of silence, and Paul didn't need to say a thing to agree.

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><p><strong>I'm so so sorry that this is a short chapter. I really do try to lengthen them but I'm not very good at that. There will be longer chapters just…not so much in the beginning. Please review and tell me what you think!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3: Within Me

**Warning: This chapter has mature content, if you don't like alcohol induced, rough five minute booty calls ( Or alcohol induced, temperamental sex) don't read. **

_Whatever I had become, whatever was coursing within my veins, it was…relieving. As if it had been waiting to be set free, churning within my body in an endless pool, until it could be awakened. Whatever I had become stretched its limbs in a purple haze, out gaze flickering to the towering man feet away. Friend or foe? I bared my newly sharpened canines and he glowered._

_"Careful, if you want to live I suggest you obey."_

_"Obey?" I laughed, "I obey no man." And this was true. I obeyed no one, no man. Nothing could hold or entrap me. I could not be overpowered. I lowered my body in a predatory stance. _

_"Shit," he growled. "You leave me no choice." I nearly danced with joy right then and there. Him standing there had been putting me on edge. _

_Whatever was in me, reveled the challenge. Whatever was in me thirsted for blood._

Think of Raylina.

Her brown, curly, and very messy hair. Paul laced his fingers into the mewling girls hair and pulled roughly, causing her to call out in pleasured agony.

Raylina's sweet, pouty lips caressing his own.

Paul dragged the girl up into his lap and crashed his lips onto her eager and parched ones.

Raylina's pale body caked in sweat.

Her warm breathe fanning across his cheeks, gasping and panting.

Her melody like voice crying out his name.

Raylina.

Paul squeezed Annabelle's ass tightly as she lifted from his lap and slammed her down, hitting her g-spot in a matter of seconds. Annabelle tossed her head back and let out a pleasured cry.

"Paul!" She moaned as she arched.

Raylina, his mind muttered as Annabelle came, her walls clenching around his hardened shaft for the third time in five minutes. But Paul was nowhere near satisfied, and never would be unless he was hilt deep inside of the only women his body, mind, soul, wolf would ever want. Raylina. He wouldn't be satisfied until he had her screaming his name, her walls clenching around him.

The thought of Raylina hitting her peak made Paul's shaft lengthen and Paul fell. It didn't matter the fact that it wasn't anywhere near what he wanted, but it was enough to release his pent up and very drunken anger and frustration. Annabelle sighed and collapsed onto Paul, breathing heavily. Paul shivered in disgust and harshly removed his cock from her passage. Annabelle mewled tiredly but curled up in Paul's sweat soaked sheets anyways, her recently dyed bleach blonde hair covering most of his pillow.

He'd have to throw every sheet and pillow case away to remove her scent.

But later.

Instead he removed the condom, pitched it, and drunkenly pulled on a pair of boxers before reaching for his jeans.

Paul stumbled tiredly around, the remains of his eighth bottle of tequila still burning its way through his veins. But it wouldn't last. It never did. Paul clenched his jaw and grabbed his jeans, pulling them up harshly before throwing his door open wide.

He wasn't surprised to see his best friend sitting at the kitchen table.

"Is that your way of coping?" Jared wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Doesn't it bother you, fucking another girl like that."

Paul frowned quickly, searching rapidly through his sluggish thoughts. Oh yea. The imprint. Paul rolled his dark eyes.

"Can't you smell the alcohol?" Paul's voice was deep and husky. But not from the recent temperamental sex he had, not from the alcohol. Paul was tired. So damn tired. He hasn't slept since she disappeared. And when he does, he's horrified to wake up to her screaming and covered in blood. Sometimes, he would wake up to find blood caking his arms. The first night this happened, Jared had found him on the floor, caked in blood and screaming. Needless to say, not only had Paul inflicted damage upon himself, but it was also a pitiful sight.

Jared sniffed the air from Paul's exhaled breath and gagged. "Yea, I smell it," he said gruffly. "How much have you had?"

Paul leaned his heavy body against the only three chairs in his cramped kitchen. "Eight…." He burped and then snickered. "Tequila. Two Vodka."

"Sips?" Jared tried joking, before he noticed all of those bottles and a half bottle of rum on the counter. Jared sighed and ran an unsteady hand through his hair.

"What are you here for?" Paul growled in annoyance, seeing the judgment that had flecked through his brothers eyes.

Jared paled, figuring this was not the best time to tell Paul of the news. But it was necessary.

Jared sighed. "Listen… Paul."

"Oh hey Jared!" Annabelle's girly voice squealed from the doorway, and both men looked up to her fully clothed and ready to go. "My mom called. She wants me to baby sit tonight." Her brown eyes met Paul's. "Is that okay sugar? I can always tell her I'm…. indisposed." Annabelle practically purred, her eyes begging for a whole night stay.

It took everything in Paul's power not to run to the bathroom and throw up the contents of his stomach. How had he endured that, he wondered as the last remnants of alcohol faded away and left Paul broken and in despair once more.

"No. Leave," Paul ground out and Annabelle visibly paled.

"Whatever," she scoffed and headed out the door, trying to sway her hips in a sensuous manner as her heels clicked away. Paul gagged when she left, alcohol rising in his throat.

"Paul," Jared said impatiently. "This is important."

Paul rolled his bloodshot eyes. "Unless it has to do with Raylina, it's not important." He began heading towards the unfinished bottle of rum on the counter. But to Paul, it wasn't alcohol. It was a bottle of promises. To take it all away.

"Jake got a call about ten minutes ago."

Paul's heart stopped, and without realizing it, he dropped the bottle. Neither man bothered to look at the shards upon the floor. Paul swallowed and looked over at his friend. If there was a deity, he prayed to every one of them in that moment that a body had NOT been found. Atleast he had a glimmer of hope that she was alive, whether undead or human.

"It was Raylina. She was in Chicago. Apparently Billy had found an old relative of hers and that's where she went. Raylina made Billy promise not to say anything until she came home. So she called to say that she way okay and she's on a plane."

All the air left Paul's lungs and he fell to his knees. He flinched when shards of glass and burning alcohol cut into his bones but it was nothing compared to al the feelings threatening to erupt from his chest.

Raylina was alive.

She wasn't changed, or dead. Killed by the rogue or the bloodsucker.

She was okay.

Paul couldn't keep it held down any more.

Remnants of the alcohol he drank spewed from his mouth, covering the tiled floor. He heaved and wretched up everything, tears stinging his eyes and the bile stinging his throat. Jared made no sound as his best friend discovered the aftermath of being drunk. Only got up and walked to Paul's side.

"We all thought it Paul. No one blames you." But Paul blamed himself. She may be alive, but everyone believed she was dead. All because he no longer felt the imprint connection. He no longer felt her.

It wasn't because she was alive and well, that Paul retched and felt like he was being torn apart, and everything was like a ticking time bomb in his chest.

It was because; Paul feared that, when she returned, there would be nothing.

If the wolf felt no pull towards her, despite the love that was obvious. Would she still be his imprint?

And if not, who was? And why?

**Again short one, but it really can't be helped. Sorry lovelies.**


	4. Chapter 4: Rogue POV

The Rogue's POV

I lept across the barely gleaming rock that set in the gleaming shadows of the moon. The crisp leaves crunched just barely beneath my paws. Oh, what a feeling. A joyous feeling infact, to be free once more. There was so much that had been kept from me, so much that I could do, and yet a part of me longed to be…normal again. But then, to my dismay, I never really was normal was I? I swallowed that dismay, labeling it pointless as it settled into my womb, dissipating with each stroke of my hind legs upon the spring ground. I breathed deeply, the smell of ocean water closing in.

_Finally…_

With a final leap, I slid into view of the cliff I had been run off of the day before. Fucking asswholes. Couldn't blame them though. Who else could take the blame of the disappearance of their precious Raylina? Poor Paul…..

Sam looked at me expectantly and I bared my teeth at him.

He sighed. _"This'll go a lot more smoothly if you changed back."_

"_Maybe I don't want to."_

"_No you just don't know how."_

"_Yea well who made you king shit?" _I snarled. _"This isn't exactly easy to deal with you know."_

"_Control your anger." _He said soothingly, his dark eyes pleading.

"_I'm not angry!" _

He raised an eyebrow. _"Okay. You're not angry." _He relented. _"So why haven't you shifted back?"_

I said nothing, simply peered down at the ground, and I refused to look at his wolfish face. _"Exactly." _He sighed once more. _"What did you see?" _

What did I see?

Oh something that makes my stomach churn.

I swallowed the bile rising in my throat. _"Your pack mate Paul, cheating on his imprint with that whore Annabelle." _

"_Why does that bother you?" _He said pointedly. _"You can't imprint, so what does it matter?"_

"_Because he shouldn't throw her away like that,"_ I answered. _"His imprint. Does that mean anything?"_

"_No, it doesn't." _Sam mumbled with a tinge of remorse. He shot a pitying glance my way before morphing. His fur fell away and skin appeared, and all that made him a wolf not moments before fell away to the skins of man.

"Don't feel angry, just let it go. For now." He added the last bit after a pause.

I snorted but I could feel my wolf slipping. No longer angry, but merely sad, I felt all that I had become disappear, leaving me in my human skin. Sam cast his eyes away and cleared his throat.

"There's uhm, there's a robe you can cover yourself with."

I felt no shame, but by the way he kept his eyes downwards, I knew he did. So quickly I grabbed my robe and wrapped it around my lean body. When I finished wrapping it around myself, only then did he look up. He didn't bother pulling on his shorts, but neither was it necessary to. It would be a brief conversation.

"I tried to have them stand down-" He began, remorse settling in his untamed eyes, but I held up my hand to stop him.

"Even if you are Alpha, some orders cannot be followed."

"They must be, it is law. You know this."

I sighed in resignation. "I do, but love, hate, and revenge are the strongest fuels out there. It would've driven them mad if they had obeyed."

Sam swallowed. "Yes, it would have." He resigned, staring out into the dark waves.

"Why was it decided?" He murmured after a moment.

"It wasn't. It was her time to come home, don't ya think?" I asked, tilting my head despite his incapability of seeing the action. "Besides, I would surely die if they were to keep the belief that I had killed her." I nearly snickered. "Well… despite the fact that I kind of did…."

"Silence!" He hissed; his eyes burning as he turned to look at me once more. "You did not kill her. Simple. Whatever you think, you did not."

I hummed a bit, before digging my bare feet into the moist ground, stepping toward the Alpha Male. He visible swallowed. "Sorry." I smirked at him, fully aware of the power that leaked from me, through every pore in my body. He knew it, could practically taste my dominance. Whether or not he is Alpha, I am ruler. I am the true leader.

"Sam." I said in a sigh. "It doesn't matter. The old Raylina is destroyed. What she once was she no longer is, and what she is, is all there is for her. A path of darkness, and loneliness. So even if I didn't kill her, what is, is all that is left."

"There has to be a way to break it." Sam pleaded. "Paul cannot live without his imprint. It will destroy him, to love what he literately cannot have."

I bit my lip. "Did you read the books?"

He sighed in sorrow. "I did. I found nothing." His eyes flickered to mine, silently asking. And hoping, I thought mutely.

"I found nothing. There has never been a record of the lost one. And nor will there ever be, Sam. What is lost is not meant to be found."

"We can change that." He answered, the wind picking up slightly.

"How so? You know it will not be accepted. _The Lost One, _hello that screams _outcast._" I didn't mean to add a bite to my sarcasm, but it came out that way. I felt a tinge of remorse rocket through my stomach.

"It doesn't matter if it will be accepted," Sam begged. "They need to know the truth. You owe them this."

"I owe them nothing!" I hissed. "I am what I am, it cannot be helped!"

"No, it can't. But it can be dealt with. They need you; they need her. You cannot keep this information from them for long. Not with Raylina back. They must know!" He was pleading desperately now, and a tug yanked at my heart.

I gave a shuttered sigh. "He will hate me."

"It won't matter. You cannot imprint. And no one can imprint on you. Not after the change. So there's no worry."

"So he will feel nothing….?"

"I don't know," Sam answered honestly. "But I do know, that this must be brought to light. For the pack. For you. For him."

I let out a shaky sigh, doing all I can to keep from crying. "They will all despise me Sam. I can't live with that."

"But you'll let them believe she died? That's a bit hypocritical."

"Maybe. But it's a lot less bloody."

"It would be more so if they killed you, and found out your identity."

"I think I would have preferred that option," I tried to joke, bit I couldn't ignore the stinging feeling within my throat.

"And that is your weakness."

I clenched my jaw, and looked away. Towards the beach, towards the sands, towards the voices whispering in Paul's home. Soothing words, ones meant to calm, but instead brought angry growls and muffled sobbing. My heart shattered.

"Okay," I mumbled numbly, hating to hear the cries of men. "They will know my name," I said, turning to face Sam one last time. "They will know my story, but they're hatred for me and what I have become, will be on your head."

Sam cast a downward glance of shame, and clenched his jaw. "I understand."

I breathed inwards. "Go. I think I'll need time to figure out what I am to say." Sam nodded, and before darting off into the woods, placed a reassuring hand on my now broad shoulder.

"Saturday night, Billy's Place."

_In, out. Breathe. _

"I'll be there." I replied quietly, and he was gone.

I swallowed the bile in my throat, as the cheek stinging tears fell.

What have I become?

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><p><strong>Reviews= Happiness<strong>


	5. Chapter 5- Not The One

**No excuses. I'm just a lazy beeyotch with writers block. Bleh. Hope your Christmas' were wonderful and I do so hope you enjoy this xD**

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><p>"Where is she?" Jake called into the house while Paul leaned heavily on his bedroom railing.<p>

There was a moment of silence before a reply.

"She needs her rest Jake," came Billy's rough response.

Jake's dark eyebrows shot up in surprise and Paul's heart lay heavily within his chest. He wasn't sure if he could face his imprint anyways. "When did she get back?" Jake called inside, dropping his voice almost to a point that none could hear.

"Sunday Night."

And it was Wednesday.

Paul fought the urge to be sick. Shouldn't he have known when she returned? Yes, he should have. So why didn't he? Why couldn't he feel the tug into the house where he had no doubt his love lay? His chest constricted, and to his surprise tears prickled the corner of his eyes.

"Raylina," he murmured and immediately Jake's dark eyes flickered over to him, flashing a warning. "I need to see her." Paul panted, sweat beading his brow, despite the rain pouring behind him, and steam rolling off his bare chest.

"Paul-"

"I have to see her." Paul repeated, anger raging in his eyes. "You didn't even know she was in your own home, the least you could do is let me-"

"Don't let him in!" A barked order was heard from within, Billy had issued it.

"You're not my Alpha," Paul seethed, not even bothering to raise his voice.

And it was true. Billy had no right of command here. Paul needed to see his imprint. He had to. Paul wouldn't survive if not.

"Paul," Jake growled, his jaw contorting. Paul had unknowingly stepped forward, his hand reaching out to the door handle.

"Jake, Please." Paul begged, his body quivering. There was an undeniable longing within his bones. He had to see her. Not seeing her was destroying him from the inside out. Jake might as well take a death scythe and slice Paul up into millions of irreparable pieces, because atleast that agony would be kinder than the one that was settling into Paul's every living and dying pore. Each one vibrated to see Raylina, whether he felt her pull or not. He needed her. And he would have her.

"Jake," Paul whispered. "I need to see her. Whether you'll let me in or not doesn't matter, because I will get in. But if you want to save this house, I suggest you move away from the door. Quickly."

Jake's eyes widened and he involuntarily stepped back. Authority radiated through Paul's voice. It wasn't one of an Alpha, but of a man in agony, of a wolf in agony. Jake needed to step back.

Quickly Paul walked through the threshold of his brother's home. It was no surprise when he met Billy in the kitchen.

"Please Paul." Billy begged from his perch upon the wheelchair. "Don't do this. Don't be selfish."

Paul scoffed, seeking her out. " It's not that I'm selfish old man. I'm not strong enough to stay away."

Strawberries and cream.

Paul breathed in deeply, his lungs expanding, as if he hadn't had a true breath of fresh air in forever. Instantly, he saw clearer, his dry, cracked lips dampened, and every cell in his body became alive at the thought of his love. His heart began its unnatural rhythm once more and he stepped forward. Quickly Billy's hand shot forward.

"Please," he begged. "For the sake of Raylina-"

"If you know how the imprint works, Billy," Paul's eyes turned cold as they flickered his way. "Then you also know she 's suffering just as much as I am."

Billy flinched, and his grip loosened. Paul stepped forward, towards the living room. "It's your funeral kid."

_More like my rebirth,_ Paul couldn't help but think as he walked forward, every step heavy and yet light at the same time.

His beautiful Raylina. His thoughts flooded of everything that was her. Her crystal blue eyes, unnaturally curly brown hair, and lithe, petit body, her musical laughter, her full pouty lips...

Paul lost all the air that filled his lungs in one breath and he leaned heavily against the doorframe.

Bright blue eyes met his from across the room, and a deep, deep sadness were etched into them.

"Hello Paul," she whispered and Paul felt as if his heart were being punched. Her voice was no longer filled with that innocent happiness. But it was sad, so very sad. It was as if she carried all the world's unhappiness in her breath. Her lips were swollen and bruised from constant biting; the skin along her changed eyes were red rimmed from crying. And as Paul took in those eyes, he noticed an unfamiliar purple ring around her dark iris'. Her skin seemed pale but he knew it was just the lighting. Her white dress clung to the contours of her body to her knees and Paul could see the goose bumps that had erupted upon the flesh of her skin along her smooth legs. Paul's groin hardened at the sight, and his mind couldn't help but flash to the night in the car and wondered vaguely, and much to his disgust, what it would be like to have those same legs wrapped tightly around his waist.

Yea, he still longed…no ached for her. Despite how horrid she probably felt.

"Raylina," Paul's breath fanned out and he stumbled forward.

"No Paul," her voice shook and her body trembled as she forced herself back as far as it could go onto the couch, the last remains of a sheet to sleep in falling away. Pillows were flung everywhere, as if no matter how she laid, she could not become comfortable.

_I know the feeling, _Paul thought over the hurt that had punched its way through his abdomen. He could no longer breath through the sight of panic that had set into her eyes.

"Raylina, what's wrong." He asked, his own voice trembling. He took a step forward and Raylina looked around, trying to get away. Her feet were pushing, digging into the couch. She wanted to be anywhere but there, Paul noticed. And it stung. As if his chest had been hit with a whip. It was quick but lasting. "No Ray," he began when she tried to slip from the couch and behind it but Paul was faster and wrapped his arms around her mid section.

"No please Paul!" She cried, squirming to get away from his grasp. "Please leave! Paul!" Raylina began to cry uncontrollably, her tears falling onto Paul's bare arms.

Sifting through the pain, he began to murmur to her as best he could. "Baby girl, please. Calm down sweetheart. I'm here."

"And you shouldn't be! Please Paul!" She screamed, hanging limply in his arms. "Please!"

Tears stung the corner of his eyes but still, despite her crying protests, he pressing his cheek into her hair and breathed deeply, running his nose along her jaw and down her neck. "Hush baby girl, I've got you."

She leaned back into his embrace, her chest reverberating with hiccups and sobs.

"Paul…" she sniffed as her shoulders heaved.

"I've got you baby girl." He murmured, and she fell limply into his body, caving in, her body no longer strong enough to hold the weight of her sorrow. He held her tightly as he sat their bodies down onto the couch.

"Paul," she cried again, burying her face into the crook of his neck as he brought her body close. Her shoulders heaved with her sobs, and Paul did his best to hush her cries. Finally bringing his lips to hers to do so. Her lips were bruised, and he did his best to be delicate, but she devoured his, attacking him with such fervor, it seemed primal, and animalistic through the saltiness of her tears.

"Raylina," he murmured when she pulled away for air.

"No talking," she hiccupped. "Please, one last kiss." Her blue eyes watered up.

One last…. Paul's mind became mush as her lips crashed into his once more. Rough hands came up to caress her face, and stroke away the tears that had leaked from her eyes.

She pulled away with a strangled cry. "No! Please, not now!"

Who was she talking to?

But Paul could not delve into the question, and ask her.

There was a strangled howl from outside and instantly Paul was up and running. There was a crash as an old vase fell to the ground as he slid around the corner.

"Paul!" Raylina cried and he could feel her bare feet pad quickly behind him. He burst through Jake's bedroom door and outside where, to Paul's astonishment, the Rogue and Jake stood in a standoff. The ground was torn to shreds, dirt and mud caked everything. Billy stood, unsurprised, to the side. Blood coated the side of the Rogue's pure white coat but still he snarled at the couldv'e been Alpha.

"Paul don't-" Raylina began, sobbing desperately, but Paul had already lept over the porch railing. The rogue's blue eyes quickly snagged Paul's attention. Why were they so familiar?

Paul had expected a fight, but he what he did not expect, was for him to fall into a deep, dark oblivion, with Raylina's screams pulsing in the background.


	6. Chapter 6- Cast Away

"Why me?" I wondered aloud as I held tightly to the wolf within my arms.

Sam's eyes became heavy with sorrow. "It doesn't matter why, it just is." I turned to Billy.

"You knew," It wasn't a question.

"I tried," he responded with the same remorse as Sam. The bastard knew this would happen.

"They will all despise me for what I am." That or try and kill me. I'd honestly go with the latter.

"You are their love." As if that'll stop any of them from despising me.

"No," I sniffed. "I am the monster they all fear." To prove this, I allowed my fangs to lengthen and pierce my bottom lip. "I am what they fear most. And they will hate me." I inhaled a shaky breath before looking down at him once more. "I must be gone and live or stay and die."

"They won't harm you, under my orders they will not."

"Doesn't matter," I murmur. "Because my heart will already be destroyed, and that is all that is needed for my end."

**PAUL'S POV**

_Why wasn't she speaking to me?_

_What have I done wrong? _

_I peered over at Kim, whose dark eyes were wide with shock. Even she, Raylina's best friend, had no idea what was happening. Had no idea why._

"_Raylina," I breathed out, feeling my heart beat painfully. "What-"_

"_I said; I'm breaking up with you." She glared, her jaw set and her cheeks tightened and flushed with slight embarrassment. "We just…..we don't work Paul." I noticed that her voice was cracked. Is it because of what happened yesterday? Is this decision because of yesterday?_

_What did happen yesterday? My conscience hissed at me. True enough, I remember nothing but kissing her, and the rogue appearing, then falling into darkness. But what happened? It infuriated me, and Raylina swears she wasn't there, that she saw nothing. I am totally lost. So what is causing this? _

"_We don't work huh?" I smirked, trying to overcome the heartbreak at hearing those words. "You weren't saying we didn't work when you practically begged to let me take you in the car." I pointed out. "Or in your kitchen, our perfect day Raylina." I tried not to sound as if I was begging, pleading with her to stay, but it came out that way anyways. _

_Raylina scoffed. "What do you expect, I'm a seventeen year old girl. Hormones raging and you're a guy, why the hell would I deny it?"_

_Kim gasped in shock at hearing all of this. I had forgotten that she was there, standing with me in Raylina's hallway. "Kim, would you-" I began, but she had already nodded and nearly ran out the door. I sighed, hoping Kim would forget…but probably not._

"_Raylina I don't know what I did, but let me make it up to you. I'll do anything-"_

"_Paul, we're done," she said with finality, her blue eyes wide. "We can't be together. It's not right." She paused to take a deep breath. "It's not fair to you and it's not fair to me to keep this up. I have to break up with you."_

"_But I'm not breaking up with you," I growled, taking a step towards her. "Isn't that what couples do, they both make the decisions? Well I don't agree with this one. You're meant for me, I for you. Why would you throw that away?" I pleaded, allowing my sorrow to seep into my voice. There was no hiding that this hurt, bad. I needed her. I only just got her back. _

"_No Paul." She whispered, backing away. "It doesn't matter. I don't want to be with you."_

_I felt as if I were being whipped. _

_My heart was bleeding._

_She took a hesitant breath, as if she too was in pain, and if she were my imprint, she would be. I'm not sure how she made it this far without breaking down like other imprints had. "I want you to stay away from me." She whispered, looking me dead in the eye. "I don't want to be your friend, or sister, or lover, wife, I want to be nothing to you. This is what I want Paul, you cannot deny me."_

_She knew._

_She had to._

_Who told her?_

_I felt my knees go weak and the wolf within me howled in anguish. She didn't want me. _

_She didn't want me._

_And she was right I could not deny her._

"_Why?" I breathed out, panting in my pain._

"_You'll find out tomorrow night. Everything will be explained tomorrow night."_

_My vision was going blurry and I leaned heavily against the wall. Didn't I just wake up? And now I was heading back to oblivion. _

"_The bonfire?" I asked numbly and she nodded. "How did you know about that?" Raylina licked her pouty lips and turned away. _

"_A little birdie told me," she mumbled. _

"_What else do you know?" I said quietly. _

"_Everything," was her barely heard answer._

_Oh gods she knew. She knew I was a monster. She knew that I imprinted on her and could not survive without her. She knew it all. _

"_And you do not want me?" I became a pathetic creature, whimpering like the coward I am. But this hurt worse than death. She did not want me. "You don't want me because I'm a monster." I didn't mean to say it. But it fell from my lips anyways. "You cannot love a monster."_

_She sounded as if she were having a hard time breathing. "No," she gasped out. " I cannot."_

_I had never prayed for death, but now was a good time to start. "Raylina-"_

"_LEAVE!" She roared, her body shifting-_

I gasped awake, sweat coating my body and my lungs searching for air. What the hell was that?

I wasn't sure I wanted to know. Who has a nightmare about their girlfriends leaving them? Who wakes up sweat coated and….oh my gods. I quickly brought up my hands to my face and scoffed.

I was crying.

What. The. Hell.

Life sucked ass right around now. Freaking blackouts, disappearing imprints, rogue wolves, a bitch bloodsucker, what the hell else would come about? Freaking crossbreeds?

I sighed heavily and looked at the clock. A half an hour before I'd actually have to get up for school. Might as well take a shower. I threw back my sweat soaked sheets and got up aware that my sweats were sagging slightly below my hips. Meh. I gave an exhausted sigh before heading out into the kitchen for a glass of orange juice.

"Well that's attractive," Jared said from the doorway and I scoffed.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I paused in opening the fridge. "Actually how'd you get in? I didn't hear you." Which surprised us both,

"You left the door unlocked Dumbass." He said none too kindly. I shot a kiss my ass smile before downing the rest of the jug.

"Seriously the fuck do you want?"

Jared gave a chuckle before turning serious. He then sighed and sat down at the table. "I feel like something is wrong, so I went for a jog and ended up here. Paul, something is wrong." He stated.

"With..?" I paused. "Kim?"

"Well her, and just everything. I feel like something is off."

I itched the side of my head. "Like something bad's going to happen?" I asked slowly.

"Yea I suppose that's it. I've been having nightmares," Jared paused, casting a forlorn glance at me. "And judging by how shitty you look I think you are too." Normally we wouldn't have to be so questioning about each other's lives. But we haven't changed in days, so we have no clue what the hell is going on. Sam wont let us morph.

"Yea, I just woke up from one. But I think our nightmares are two different ones." I know it is.

Jared's eyebrows shot up. "You're not dreaming of being killed by the rogue?"

I snorted. "Hell no, I just dreamt my imprint left me."

He frowned. "But you guys have a bond…she couldn't leave you. I mean sure the bond could be deeper if you bit her already but… its still a good bond."

"Yea, but it was as if she knew about me. Like, she was being specific. She didn't even want to be friends. Or anything for that matter. The pain…it was excruciating. It may not amount to being killed by a rogue," I paused to smirk at him. "But it hurt. As if she really were breaking up with me. I was being destroyed."

Jared hummed. "I don't know man, but something is going on and I don't like it."

"Do you think everything'll be sorted at the bonfire tonight?" I asked, remembering what Raylina had said.

"Dude, I totally forgot about that. Why would Sam call a bonfire anyways?" He scoffed. "I don't even know man, but this shit better be done by tonight."

"Yea.." I trailed off. "I'm just hoping Raylina's alright."

Jared rolled his eyes, but his features softened. "Yea, I know what you mean bro. Kim was a wreck without Red. And I hate to admit it but so was I, everyone was. She's like the soul of us now Paul. Protect her yea?"

"I'll do my best."

Jared gave a grin. "With her? I think that's about all you can promise. I swear if she were my imprint I'd be dead already."

"Yea screw you too man."

"Hey it was a compliment!" He defended. "She's a tough cookie to break, and she can't be tamed. That girl is wild. I'm surprised you've lasted this long."

"And you're point is?" I asked, narrowing my eyes to slits.

Jared sighed. "Dense as a bag of rocks," he murmured under his breath. "I'm calling you strong Dumbass. Take the compliment and jack off to it in the shower. I'm gonna watch some TV."

I growled at him. "Ohhhh kinky," he laughed before heading off into the living room.

I rolled my eyes but let out a soft chuckle anyways. Always count on Jared to cheer me up. In a few quick strides I headed into the bathroom and stripped of the only clothing I had on. Before slipping into the ice-cold water, I looked in the mirror.

"Thanks gods it's Friday."

"Amen to that!" Jared called out from the living room, and I let out a chuckle before basking in the cold.

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><p><strong>Confused yet peoples? If you are...good. Reviews makes sunshine, raindbows, happiness and f'n skittles people. Review for the skittles but mostly for the happiness it causes this beeyotch who types this stuff. Tell me what you think! pweeasseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee?! <strong>


	7. Chapter 7- Legends

Quil gave Embry a shove, trying to dive towards the table of food. Embry gave a bark of laughter before ducking beneath Quil's outstretched arms and gave a shove of the shoulder into Quil's gut. Quil grunted, and there began a brotherly quarrel. Paul gave a light grin, but couldn't help but shiver against the night air. It felt as if a dark cloud was looming over him, and somewhere in the depths of his own mind, he knew this night wouldn't end well. Jared gave him a hard slap of the shoulder and Paul peered over at him.

"It'll be okay, yea?" Jared said, trying to console his dear friend. But Paul let out a deep sigh.

"I'm not sure." He responded, watching as Billy rolled out of the darkness and into the fire's light. Old Quil following. Normally some others sat with the two eldest of us all. But tonight it was only Sam, and some of the tribe looked with confusion. What was going on? None of the imprints were here tonight, Paul thought with a pang. Normally they were all here. But not tonight. Tonight was something different.

Billy cleared his throat and immediately all members were gathered around him like children at story time. Which was exactly what this was. "I have told you all the story of how we began. That Kaheleha was the first Great Spirit Chief, and how he and his men left their bodies, and wreaked havoc upon those who dared take their land." Quil and Seth gave a proud whoop and some of the men joined them. Billy shot them a somber grin but shook his head. They immediately silenced. "I have told you about the last Great Spirit Chief Taha Aki, and Utlapa who was not content with the peace that they had already."

Old Quil began to speak in Billy's place. "But, we have not told you everything." Old Quil took in a deep breath and everyone became entranced. " Taha Aki had many sons, of which only one from the original wives had survived. Yaha Uta, and the sons of the third wife. But there was also a young boy."

"Oh!" Seth shouted excitedly like a kid in the candy store. "The little boy who could smell the Cold Woman right? The little one in the crowd?" Everyone paused to face him, and if he were in wolf form he'd be flattening his ears and trying to make himself dissapear.

Bill sighed, "Yes, that little boy. He has a story of his own, the boy. And how he is connected not only to the tribe, but to the Cold Woman as well. For the woman that the boy had stood with that day, was not his mother."

There was a pause, to let that settle in, before Billy continued. " Many months before the attack of the Cold Woman, Yaha Uta had been out on a hunt, alone where he came across a white woman of great beauty. She had pale, beautiful skin, the bluest eyes of any being, and the palest blonde hair to ever be seen on the coast that fell in waves to her knees. She was human, and she had gotten lost from her wagon when she was younger, and lived in a hut of her very own not too far from where they stood. Her dress was raggedy and she was dirty, but Yaha Uta had never seen a more beautiful sight. He fell in love with her, and despite the language differences; she too fell for him. He visited her everyday, and often brought her food from his own killings. And then one day, she became pregnant."

Old Quil began to speak once more, taking over for Billy as they listened, horrified that they had not known about the child's history. "Yaha Uta took care of her, but because she was not a woman of the tribe, and was not the woman Yaha Uta was meant to be mated with, none would help her during childbirth and so she gave birth in her own hut, with Yaha Uta by her side." Old Quil paused, taking a breath before beginning again. "Though, she was frail, the child had taken much from her, being a Quileute with the gene, he was much stronger than most children born. The mother bled and bled but Yaha Uta could not stop it, and to his dismay, she died in his arms, the newborn babe still attached to her womb."

"But, something happened that night." Billy's authoritive voice took over once more. "The Cold One, who would soon be stealing maidens from the tribes, smelt death, and blood. No sooner had she died, the cold one had snuck into the small hut. The smell revolted Yaha Uta, but he knew of what the Cold One could do, and begged to save his love, no matter the cost.

" The Cold One agreed, and to the disgust of Yaha Uta, bit into her skin. It felt like an eternity to Yaha Uta but she arose, the living dead. But to the chagrin of Yaha Uta, the babe began to wail and shriek in agony as she changed. He had not cut the cord that tied them together. He quickly cut it and wrapped the babe up, not sure why the babe had cried so horrifically.

"When she arose, she did not remember the man she loved. But she did remember, however, the babe that she had given birth to and carried in her womb for so long. Instantly she tried to snatch the babe, but was horrified to find that not only did she feel the thirst, but she could not touch her child without the heat of him burning her flesh. She ran, and the Cold One followed."

"Yaha Uta pleaded with his father and the elders of the tribe to let the babe stay, after saying that its mother had passed during childbirth. The babe would be different, for his eyes were as blue as the sky, but they could sense the gene, which would later be passed on to him. Reluctantly they agreed, and the child was handed to a wet nurse, who later would be believed to be his mother. The very same woman he clutched so tightly to when The Cold Woman struck."

"Wait wait wait wait," Leah interrupted. "Hold on. Are you telling me, that that child was the child of the Cold Woman?"

"Yes," Old Quil answered. "She gave birth to a Quileute child as a human, but Yaha Uta could not live without her, and so allowed her to become immortal."

"Ok and the moral of the story is?" Leah prompted.

Old Quil sighed. "Let me finish and you will find out." He said sternly and Leah blanched. "Now the Cold Woman and her creator would have stayed away, if she did not have the tie with her son. She refused to leave without him. So they came back for him, feeding off of maidens in surrounding tribes. And this is where it ties with the original story. Yaha Uta was the only wolf to return after hunting that, which had killed the maidens. He brought back the remains of the Cold One and told of how his brother's fought bravely but underestimated the creature, and how one sacrificed himself so that Yaha Uta could destroy the monster. But he did not mention that he knew of the being the whole time, and knew that the Cold One was not alone. And they did not wait long. The Cold Woman, the love of Yaha Uta, had come to avenge her creator, and take back her son. "

Old Quil sighed and sent Billy a look. Billy nodded curtly before taking over; all the while Paul swore Sam was turning white. "The original stories say that the Cold woman was the most beautiful thing human eyes had ever seen. Yaha Uta was the only proof of her beauty before her change. They say she looked like the goddess of the dawn, but she was colder than any winter night. The boy, clutching the wet nurse desperately, screamed that her scent was hurting his nose, but something else happened that day. The Cold Women had awakened something new within the boy, and although he screamed about her poisonous scent, he also did not and could not mind it. For he was different. Yaha Uta knew he had to destroy the woman he once loved, but he couldn't. This was why he lost, not because he was alone, but because he still loved her. Taha Aki did not know of this woman's importance, nor did he care. She had slaughtered his son before him, and his rage took over. Of course this is where the story of the third wife begins, and her great sacrifice. But we are not here for her story. We are here for the young boys' story.

"The boy was young when all of this occurred, and wouldn't have remembered it at all of the Great Spirits had not cursed him."

"Why would they curse a little boy? What had he done?!" Leah cried, outrage licking her features.

"Leah, calm down," Old Quil soothed. "The story is far from over." Leah scoffed but silenced once more. "Yaha Uta could not pay for his crimes, for allowing the spirits of the tribe to die for his selfishness, because he was already dead. What harm could be done? But his son, was far from normal. At manhood, he would become the Alpha, and the Greta Spirits forbade this. Because he was something that was not created from nature, something that was not blessed. The night of his birth, when the cord between mother and child was not cut, the Cold One's venom had leaked into the babe, mixing with blood of the spirit wolf, and creating a new creed. He was not a spirit wolf, nor was he a man, nor a cold one, but all three."

There was a gasp around the fire. "How is that possible-" Jared whispered, his eyes wide, body trembling. And Paul understood why. A crossbreed. The only one in existence.

"He is the only being who was able to carry all genes, vampire, shape-shifter, and man. But the Great Spirits saw that he was not evil, but held good. And they saw that his future line would too. They did not know what to do. They could not kill one of their own, not one of such purity, but such an abomination would not fit in. And so the Great Spirits cursed him and his line, to always be alone. To morph, but to never speak the language of the wolves. And so he was banished from the tribe. But he lingered, always close, fighting in the battles, but always disappearing. Never one of them, yet part of their nature."

Paul let out a breath of realization. "The Rogue."

Everyone's eyes widened as Old Quil bowed his head. "Yes, the rogue wolf you have been chasing, is the last of the Cursed line, great grandchild of Yaha Uta and the Cold Woman. The Rogue Wolf lineage was supposed to have died out, many years ago."

"Jake I'm so sorry." Billy interrupted, his eyes dampening.

"What are you talking about?" He frowned. "Dad what's going on?"

"I didn't know until I heard."

"Dad, didn't know what?" Jake seethed. Billy swallowed and looked towards the woods.

"You can come out." Billy said quietly, and from the tree line, the rogue appeared, eyes searching around the fire. Paul let out a growl but Sam stood quickly.

"She is one of us, I order you not to attack."

Embry perked up and turned to his Alpha. "She?"

The Rogue Wolf stalked forward, making her way to Old Quil who stood from the log and produced a very red cloak. He stepped towards the rogue with ease and flung the robe around the wolf. Where right before the tribe's eyes, she shape shifted.

Many of the men, including Leah, let out a cry of alarm as Paul fell to his knees.

"Raylina?"


	8. Chapter 8- The Truth

**Happy New Year's Darlings! Ahhh 2015. Hopefully this'll be a good year, full of promise. But knowing human stupidity, probably not. So here is the first update of the new year, hope you enjoy. And don't forget to review! Seriously, thank you to those who do review, but I'm not feeling much love. Pwease? For Raylina and Paul?**

**HAPPY NEW YEAR!**

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><p>"Holy Fucking Shit," I heard Jared murmur beside Paul, who was still on his knees, his eyes wide with shock and maybe, guilt. "Plot twist."<p>

I shivered within my red cloak. I was practically naked people, give some love yea? No. I sighed just as Jake spoke up.

"But why were you apologizing dad? She's not my imp-" Jake cleared his throat, his eyes flickering to Paul.

"I know of the imprint Jake." I said quietly, but I didn't need to speak any louder, because I know they all heard me. "I know everything." I sighed again, feeling their eyes on me before I move silently to stand beside Billy. "And he is apologizing because, I am not meant to exist." I took a breath. "Jake…Ephraim Black was my Grandfather. Billy is my half uncle, and you are my half cousin."

"Well fuck." Leah muttered as Jake took a stumbling step back.

"What?" He exhaled and I swallowed. I knew they'd hate me.

"Let me tell you my story please. This is a lot for all of you to take in."

"But you- your m-my c-cousin!" Jake stuttered. "How long have you known!"

"Only a few weeks I swear."

"How long have you been a shifter?!" Seth cried from Leah's side and a murmur began.

"Let me explain please!" I begged, clutching Billy's chair tightly. " I didn't know what I was until the night of the attack." I pleaded and they became silenced. I swallowed my guilt, tears threatening to swamp my eyes before I began, looking at all of them, hoping they'd believe me. Or atleast not hate me too much. "My story begins with Ephraim and my grandmother, and his imprint. It's a story you're experiencing now." My eyes flickered over to Leah then to Sam, where someone muttered an 'oh shit'.

I sighed, yea I know all about that too. "Long story short: Ephraim met my grandmother first. Jean Maria Dawson. As most stories go, they fell in love. And despite the wishes of the tribe, she became pregnant with Ephraim's son, my father. Though maybe a month after consummation, Ephraim changed into the Alpha he was born to be. Because of this, he also inherited the gift of the imprint." I swallowed. "He imprinted on Jake's Grandmother two months before my father was born. My Grandmother was upset, but also knew the legends existed and could not deny what must be. Ephraim, awed by her courage in such a desperate time, built her a home in the center of the wood, where he could protect her and his son and right the wrong he had done. But there was something she hadn't told him. That within her blood was the curse that was to be passed down to their son, Jonathan Ephraim Dawson. My father. Not only was he cursed, but he had Alpha blood within him from the original line and from Ephraim. This caused quite the problem as you can imagine."

Billy laid a hand upon mine and I peered down at him. "I loved my brother, and so did my mother and our father. He would come over everyday and we got along so well. He was the oldest of us all, the true Alpha of my pack. But there was always something different, something he never explained. Until the day we both realized we could shift. Only problem was he could not hear the others, and we could not hear him. It was then that Jean told our father of the curse he bared. Jonathan of course was distraught that he had to wonder the earth alone, without a pack, without a Quileute love. After High school, he vanished. At first we wrote letters to each other, telling of our adventures. Mine of Alpha problems and regrets, decisions, and confusions. His of the outside world and how lonely it was. After about a year or so, he stopped writing."

"During that time," I began again. "He met my mother Elsa while he was in College. She was his imprint and… along came me."

"Hold on, if you're Jake's cousin, why isn't your last name Black?" Leah asked.

"And I thought you're Grandmother married, so why is your last name Dawson?" Jake murmured soon after.

I licked my lips. " My Grandmother never married Ephraim so she gave my father her maiden name. And she did, she married Robert James Alexanders. After my father was born. But she always loved Ephraim. Which is why she had the name Black on her tombstone. Because she always was apart of him as he was apart of her. Sick and twisted but it was so."

"Okay, so when did you find out you were a shifter? What's the story behind that?" Jared questioned, placing a hand on Paul's shoulder.

I exhaled a sigh. " The first time I changed, was the night my father died." I licked my lips again, feeling as if I were parched. " My sorrow brought out my curse, but see he had called Gran that day and asked her to come down. And so soon after I changed, she found me. I didn't understand; I was too young. And she didn't, couldn't understand either. See, if a female was born instead of a male, they would inherit the gene but it wouldn't claim them. It would only be passed down until a male was born. I should've never had the gift; it was meant to skip me. But for the first time since the curse was given, a female inherited it. Luckily, my pain didn't last long. Being so young and transforming, it took a toll on my body and soon after I lost consciousness. During that time my Gran had created something to hold back my powers.

"Not only did it hold the cursed side of me back, it wiped away all of my memories of what I could do. I was normal for the time being, well normal-ish. I was still very different, stronger, faster, and could smell more than most humans, but I always believed that it-that I- was normal." I swallowed. Here was the shit kicker. "That was until the first night I met Victoria." I looked over at Paul. "I lied that day, when I woke and you asked what I remembered. I remembered everything, every detail." I swallowed. "I'm sorry."

I inhaled, looking at the pack now. " When she threw me into the stone ledge, something happened." The corner of my lips turned into a fleeting smile. "Of course something happened, but none of us could explain what. I didn't notice until Leah brought it up on our little trip." I peered over at Leah where she was peering at me like I had grown three heads, her eyebrows were caved as she frowned.

And then she let out a gasp. "The necklace."

Another fleeting smile. "Yea. My grandmother had made it for me with old Quileute magic, to hold in everything. It was the only thing keeping me from what I truly am. And that night, when Ash-" I cleared my throat, realizing that Ash did not exist. "That Paul was in danger, I was in a state of rage. That rage, combined with the force it took to slam me into the rock ledge, cracked it. Right down the middle. Because of that crack, certain aspects of me were unleashed. My flame," I held out my arm from beneath my cloak and immediately the white flame hued in purple danced upon my palm. " Super strength and speed. And at one point, I could even hear you Paul. I could hear you screaming, but for only an instant." I peered over at him and saw that his eyes were cast down.

"I tried keeping the flame contained, under my control. But it was like a nagging, painful feeling in my chest, and many times I had to escape from all of you to let it free."

"But why did you hide it?" Paul whispered, and I swear I heard his heart break.

I exhaled a shaky breath, feeling as if my own heart was breaking. " Another thing was the fact that I could hear my grandmother." Immediately his eyes flashed up to mine, remembering and they were filled with guilt. "She told me to lie, to tell you something different. She was the one who helped me begin to control my flame. I left you that night too, Paul, following her. I found her grave, and my fathers, my mothers, and Robert's grave.

"Although the women in the cursed line could not change, they still had the power of flame and strength and speed. My grandmother's flame was a baby pink, soft. She showed me how to control it and soon afterwards, she said goodbye." I took a deep, moist, breath, trying my hardest not to cry.

"But what about the change? When did you become the rogue? Why did you disappear?" Leah asked quietly as everyone else gazed at me.

"Victoria had paid me a visit. Of course I wouldn't submit as easily as she would've liked. She had me pinned, her hand against my throat and I jerked away. Her hand slipped, and the necklace was, for the first time, taken off." I exhaled through my nose. "The necklace was never meant to be taken off. Or broken. Only a vampire had the strength to do it. And that night she took it off, unleashing my power. I could hear past thoughts from the others. Mostly from you Paul, I could feel things that I had never felt before. It was excruciating to have all that power, rage, fire, freed from me bonds, but it was done.

"And that is when Sam came." My eyes flickered over to him with slight rage. "To kill me."

And all hell broke loose.

"YOU TRIED TO KILL HER!" Leah screamed, taking a menacing step towards her Alpha, with Seth and Embry holding her back. Paul was on his feet in seconds.

"You bastard," he growled and Jared grabbed him before anything could be done.

"GUYS!" I shouted. "Do you want to hear the story or not? I'm obviously still alive so he failed. No point in flipping out." Leah growled but allowed the two men to drag her back down to her seat. Paul just stood there, and I tried to stop looking at him so damn much. It only hurts.

"Tried, and refused." I began again. "It was Sam that brought me out of my painful oblivion, trying to show me what I was becoming. Only these three knew of what I was, and to be truthful, I'm not surprised they'd want me dead."

"Raylina-" Billy began, his eyes brimming with unshed tears, which surprised a good bit of the pack.

"It's okay," I murmured. " He told me to accept my gift, or die. And so I did. He was the one to try and calm after I too tried to kill him." I shot him a lazy grin and he rolled her eyes, jaw clenching. "And then, I ran. For about a week, I ran. But something brought me back. And since then I've been avoiding all of you, everyone except for Sam, Old Quil, and Uncle Billy. Well until you all tried to hunt me down and slaughter me. Cliff diving is much better as a person than it is in wolf form don't ya think?"

Every single one of them paled or looked away.

Embry spoke up first. "So you do have a tattoo as well?" He asked with a slight blush and Quil slapped him upside the head. He grunted in pain. "I'm serious!"

I tried unsuccessfully to hide a smile. "Yes, like all of you I have a mark. Except mine's not as cool as yours but it works." I carefully wrapped my cloak around most of body while working a piece of cloth open to show my hip. Right upon my right hip was a crescent moon in the color of my flame. Purple. "Delightful." I muttered before righting myself.

"Why can't we," Jared cleared his throat, peering at Paul before looking at me once more. "Why can't we smell your scent?"

"Because I no longer have one. Not like I used to. I'm not a shape shifter, but no am I human or vampire. I am the only being that has the blood of all. That has no scent."

"If you're part vampire," Seth began. "Do you drink blood too?"

I chuckled. "Good question. No, but I do have the urge to bite from time to time." I shot him a grin and he smiled at me. "I don't drink blood, I eat the same things as you people do. Though, if I tried, I'm sure I could live off of blood, if all else failed. But that has never been recorded. I have the combined strength of a vampire and shifter, the speed, agility. All the pros…mostly." I added quietly. Mostly.

"Okay so what all can you do?" Embry asked.

"The line is gifted with a vampire power, flame, ironically enough. Gifted with super strength, speed, et cetera. Also….uhm…I think it's important that you know….if I didn't have the curse….I'd probably be your Alpha. Just saying."

I could've sworn the world went silent.

"But Jake-" Seth began and I shook my head.

"My Father was Ephraim Black's first born, and I am the only child of the first born. If my grandmother's line wasn't cursed, neither Sam nor Jake would be rule, but I would."

"Ok so what does the curse entitle exactly?" Jake finally spoke up from his state of shock.

And this is where my heart is ripped out and trampled on. "I cannot run with that pack. It's Forbidden. I may be able to morph but I am nothing like you guys. I cannot hear your thoughts, cannot speak through your mind link. I can't even be near you guys in changed form for that long. It's uncomfortable. Manageable but uncomfortable." Here's my death sentence.

"I can't imprint on a Quileute….and a Quileute cannot imprint on me."

I peered over at Paul. "That's why you could no longer feel me, Paul. It's why it was much easier to move on with Annabelle, because the imprint no longer exists. The moment I changed…that all disappeared." I inhaled sharply. "Paul, you're free."

But like my grandmother, I am not.

"No!" He bellowed, leaping up. "That cannot be! Raylina, I am still in love with you." He exhaled, and in a flash he was infront of me, his hands upon my cheeks and his eyes brimming with pain.

It was then that he stopped breathing.

"No." He whispered, his eyes wide with disbelief and I looked away, my own heart shattering again. "No," his voice cracked, his thumbs brushing over my cheek bones, trying to turn my face to look at him.

"Please Rayn." I clenched my jaw and looked him dead in the eye, and quickly his lips were pressed against mine but almost instantly they were pulled away. "Oh gods no." His hands fell away. I held in a sob.

"You can't feel it anymore, can you?" I whispered. "Your wolf is numb towards me."

He exhaled a pained breath, and I noticed then that his eyes were harboring tears. "When was the imprint lost?" He murmured numbly.

"The day you lost consciousness. When everyone saw to separate beings. That was a lie. Sam had implanted the memory, because Leah was close to finding before it was time. I taught him how to change memories. You think you saw the rogue and me behind you, but in truth, I ran from you. Fear made me change. You and Jake both watched me change into the wolf. And as Alpha he ordered that memory to be changed until due time. So you saw two different beings, enough to throw Leah off the track, and enough to cover up why you no longer felt the same for me."

Paul looked away. "So the imprint…it's gone."

"Yes." I agreed.

"And there's no way to get it back?"

"Why would you want to? You are free."

"Is there?" He repeated.

I licked my lips, tasting the barest hints of his warmth, before answering. "No."

It was his turn to look away. "Can't you break it?" He whispered.

"My curse?" I questioned. "No. We've tried everything, looking through all the books. There's nothing. I shouldn't exist. My line was chance."

He let out a gasp of air, before turning to the fire. "Who is my imprint now?"

"I don't know," my voice cracked. Shit. "But we, the elders and I, believe that since you imprinted first on one from the Black line, it will be one from Jacob's family."

"Oh shit." Someone murmured.

"Then I have to stay away from his family." My head snapped up towards Paul, whose eyes were set with determination and pain. "I don't want anyone else Raylina. If anything this is just a chance to prove that I will be with you, not because my wolf demands it, but because I demand it."

He was making this harder than it should be.

"Paul you can't." I tried to convey the impossibility. "No matter how much you feel, it won't matter, the curse demands that I remain alone. And if I am to imprint, it must be someone out of clan. We cannot be together Paul."

"I'll fight-"

What? He'll fight it? "No, you wont. I always knew I was different. It's just clearer now. You were never meant for darkness. But me?was bred for the dark. I was created for the sake of upholding the promise."

"And what promise was that?" He asked, his heart shattering with every word.

"To always walk alone." I hope he'll understand. "I must walk alone."

And that is when his tears fell like rain. With damp gasp of pain, he tore out of the circle and into the forest, immediately shedding his human skin for his wolf ones. I couldn't help but murmur "Ash," as he disappeared and immediately his cries were heard.

I peered down, swallowing my own pain before looking up at the star filled sky. "I'm so sorry." I murmured before looking at the pack. "I never wanted it to be this way."

"It's not your fault." Leah muttered but she then sighed as another cry was heard from Ash….Paul. "But he loved you Raylina. It wasn't just the imprint, he loved you as a whole."

"It doesn't matter."

"And why not?"

"Because the Great Spirits will not allow us to be together. We are forbidden. It just is."

"And that's going to stop you? What happened to the Raylina I knew? The one who never gave up and fought for the things she loved?"

I clenched my jaw and looked her dead in the face. "She's gone. What I was before no longer exists. I am cursed, eternally bound to the will of The Great Spirits. I am the lone Alpha rogue, without a pack to call her own, without a love to share. I am the Lost One. The old Raylina is dead," I smirked. "I consumed her."

And Leah looked away, and the last few intact pieces of my part turned to dust, leaving me hollow, as I should be.

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><p><strong>I bet you all hate me now. Haha. Review for a shattered imprint? Please? <strong>


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